With his victory in the Democratic primary over Domingo Garcia, Marc Veasey is poised to represent North Texas in Congress for a long time.

But that’s only if he can win over the portion of the 33rd Congressional District that didn’t support his campaign, most notably Hispanics and Dallas County residents.

Veasey acknowledges that he must introduce himself to voters throughout the district, particularly those in Dallas County who don’t know him.

“I will listen to and work with constituents in all parts of the district,” Veasey said Wednesday, after celebrating his victory over Garcia by cleaning out his garage. “I’m going to spend my first year reaching out to people in order to develop partnerships and meaningful relationships.”

Veasey, a state representative from Fort Worth, won in a district that’s 66 percent Hispanic, though the group’s voting strength is not as prodigious as its overall population. That fact allowed him to target black voters in his home county without the urgency of running a broad campaign.

But Hispanics will continue to be a crucial, if not dominant part of the district’s electorate. While improving his standing with Hispanic voters — many of whom may be disappointed that Veasey denied them a historic victory of the first Hispanic lawmaker from North Texas — he’ll have to bridge the district’s geographic split, too.

Garcia proved to be a formidable candidate, but his political warts made him a better match-up for Veasey, perhaps, than another well-established Hispanic candidate. As long as the district is drawn in its current form, a Hispanic candidate has a chance to do well.

“He really hasn’t done any outreach in this community,” said Dallas political consultant Brenda Reyes. “He has to make that 30-mile trek across the mid-cities and show up here. Dallas has a big voting bloc.”

Supporters say Veasey is up for the challenge.

“He’s been an amazing citizen in Tarrant County, and there is no reason he won’t do an outstanding job representing the interest of Dallas County,” said Michael Sorrell, a political analysts and president of Paul Quinn College in Dallas. “He’ll be a great voice for all of North Texas.”

State Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, said he supported Veasey over Garcia because he would effectively juggle the demands of a multi-ethnic, multi-county area.

“He’s a hard-working man of integrity,” Anchia said. “He’s well suited to represent a diverse district.”

Veasey is already planning ways to make inroads to Dallas County residents and Hispanic voters. He says he’s taking his general election campaign against Republican Chuck Bradley seriously, even though the district is overwhelmingly Democratic.

Without the need to target base voters in Tarrant County for a campaign against another Democrat, he’ll have more time to visit with future constituents in Dallas County.

Veasey has promised, once elected, to open a congressional district office in north Oak Cliff, which will serve Hispanic, black and white constituents.

And he’s pledged to work on issues like jobs, neighborhood stabilization and education, which is important to the middle class and poor neighborhoods in both counties.

“He’s been with us all the time,” said state Rep. Roberto Alonzo, who has collaborated with Veasey in Austin. “He’ll work with Hispanics in Dallas and Hispanics in Fort Worth.”

Sylvia Lagos, a community activist from north Oak Cliff, said Veasey’s victory party included a mix of people and reflected the broad coalition he’s developing.

She said Dallas constituents and Veasey needed to put the contentious campaign aside and work together.

“People have asked me, ‘Can he be trusted?’ We don’t know yet,” Lagos said. “Unfortunately race was an issue in the campaign, but we need to see him as human and not simply see his color. We need to look at how Mr. Veasey can represent everyone. He is a humble person, and that humility will take him a long way.”

The district is new, a gain for the state thanks to population growth. But its boundaries could change again next year if Republicans in the Legislature try to change district lines next year to win more seats.

A federal court panel is still determining whether the Legislature’s redistricting plan, which was put on hold, was legal, and the boundaries that Veasey and Garcia run under are only interim lines.

As an incumbent, Veasey would have influence on the permanent boundaries. It’s also possible that upcoming redistricting decisions could lead to a solidly Hispanic district in North Texas.

And the 33rd District could ultimately be protected as a district in which minority voters control the outcome.